Diver&#39;s dress



Nov 14, 1933. w. scRlMGl-:ouR 1,935,132

DIVER S DRESS Filed July 1, 1952 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 25 Y plate `that the helmet fas a,-,vvholemay be quickly PatentedzNov. 14, 1933 PATENT OFFICE DIVER-S DRESS v'William Scrimgeour, Washington, D. C., assigner -of one-eighth toCarter MaxwellScrimgeour,

*Washingtorn D. C.

vApplication July 1, 1932. serial No.' 620,477 12 claims., (o1. s1-7o) This'invention relates to 'diving dress, andv particularly to the helmet forming a partzof such diving dress. i

In diving dress, as now generally constructed, the breast plate of the helmet is relatively-permanently attachedto `the neck openingof the diving suit by means of a iiange and a retaining ring between which the edge ofthe neck opening is securely bolted, and the helmet proper is made removable from the breast plate.Y Y

With such diving dress a diver, while waiting to descend, Wears all of the dress except the helmet proper, v/hich is'unscrevved from the breast plate and removed, but thebreast plateritself ,is heavy and rigid and if the diver must Wear his dress for any length-*of timev before descending he is subjected to the Weight and discomfort not only of the suit proper lbut Aof the breast Vplate and its attaching means.v f

One object of thepresentinvention is to provide a diving helmet'in :which the helmet proper and thebreast plate thereforare made as a-uni-` tary structure of relativelylight gauge but strong sheet metal and to so connect the border oredge of the neck opening of the suit With .the breast and easily connected vvith the vsuit and disconnected therefrom, vthusfmaking possible the removal and replacement ,offthefhelmetproper and breast plate asl a unit, whereby the: diver, While Waiting to descendis rel-ievediof the Weight of the Whole' helmet structure butydue to. the ease with which this helmetstructure is fastened to the suit, may have the helmet quickly applied so that he may be made ready for descent on short notice, as is requisite in` diving-operations.

Another obje'ctof the invention is to provide an improvement in the means for and manner of introducing air into the helmetso that its'velocity and thenoise usually created by its introduction may be reduced. vy. v

A further objectY of the` invention is to prof vide fonincreasing the range of vision' of the diver by the applicationtothe helmet of observationglasses Vproviding muchlarger sight openings or Windowsthan` is customary.

With these objects in View the invention conf templates ak diving helmetincluding a; helmet proper and a breast plate therefor preferably permanently connected, the breast plate being provided With a member'A adapted toreceive theborder or edge of the neck opening.V of the diving suit, eomplemental means being arranged for quickly clamping this edgein a fluid tight manner relatively tosaid member, and.v for 'asquickly unclamping it so that the helmet may be easily and quickly removed. A r Y k; The invention contemplates also a member assembled in connection with the air inlet for the helmet, formed of sound-deadening material and provided with appropriately arranged bailies so that the air supplied under pressure to the helmet may be admitted to the helmet relatively silently and at. lessened velocity. Y The invention contemplates further the provision of large sight openings or Windows for lthe helmet, includingy means for accomplishing the fluid. tight mounting of the glasses ofk theseYwin-gj dovvs.V y 1 In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, l Fig. l is arfront elevation, with parts in section, illustrating avrdiving helmet constructed in ac-Y cordance with the invention,-certainipartsof the clamping'fmeans being omitted. t

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the helmet." Fig. 3 is an enlarged `fragmentary sectional elevation taken substantially centrallyof Fig. 1. Fig; 4 is a central fragmentary sectional viewA of the helmet illustrating the air inlet arrangement. A f

Figs. 5 and 6 are a side and a front elevation,

respectively, of the member of sound-deadeningk material associated with the air inlet. y The helmet comprises a helmet-properl, of more or less conventional conformation, and a breast plate 2,V these parts preferablybeing formed separately and provided with complementalsleeve portions 3 and 4, respectively, arranged in telescopingrelation and secured fluid tight, preferably by welding.

The breast plate 2 is so shaped as to comfort.- ably fit the shoulders and chestl of a diver, asis customary, and the breast plate.` has rigidly mounted, preferably by welding around its perimeter, a-channel member 5 ofcontinuous form. This channel member is so formed or twisted that at the portions which extend over the shoulders of the diver 'its channel .opens upwardly, where`v as at the front and back its channel opens downwardly. f l

At substantially diametrically oppositepoints at the sides of the united parts 3 and 4' arexed hinge lugs 6 to which are piv'oted,` carrier mem-- bers 7,' and to Veach ofthese carrier members 7 is aiiixed, as by Welding, a iiexible elementi or cable 8, preferably of' stranded form and of a length sufficient to extend fromthe. front to theback of the breast plate following the course of the channel member. At one of its ends each of these flexible elements or cables 8 passes into and has rigidly attached to it a socket piece 9 carrying a pair of spaced jaws 10, and at its other end passes into and has rigidly attached to it a socket piece 11 providedwith-spaced ears 12 between which ispivotally mounted at 13 a lever 14 having pivoted to it at 15 a link 16 threaded and provided with an adjusting nut 17 having a rounded bearing surface 18 for engagement with the complementally shaped bearing faces of the lugs 10. By this arrangement it will be seen that similar means are provided at the front Vand back of the breast plate for joining the ends of the cables and for enabling them to be pulled together, the pivoted arrangement of the carrier members 7 permitting the cables 8 to movel toward the channel member 5 as the cab-les are tightened or tensioned by the linkages connectingtheir ends.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and '2, the edge or border of the neckl openingof the diving suit is Y preferably so molded as to provide a relatively permanent bead 19 for' engagement with the channel member 5 and with which the cables 8 so cooperate that when the linkages connecting the ends of Vthe cables are tensioned or tightened the bead 19 will be forced firmly into the channel member 5 to provide a fluid tight connection between -the helmet and the suit.

It will be noted that the pivot 13 of each of the levers'y 14v is so positioned that when the levers 14 are in closed position, as shown in Fig. 1,- a line passing through the pivot 15 and the point of bearingv of the nut 18 upon the jaws 10 (which is the line in which the pulling or tensioning stress upon the cable lies) will beinside of the pivot 13 and that, therefore, once the cables are tightened by moving the levers14 to their closed position, as described, any tendency of the cables to separate, as might be produced by pressure within the diving dress will cause the levers to be more 4rmly forced to closed position. In order, however,'that accidental fouling of theV levers 14 may not cause them -to move to open position, each lever may be provided at its end with a portion 20` rounded or otherwise appropriately shaped for snap engagement with a fixed spring clip or retaining device 21.

Obviously, when the bead 19 has been clamped in the channelmember 5, as described, the appropriate pressure of the cables 8 may be adjusted by means of the nuts 17 to provide the desired fluid tight joint between the bead 19 and member 5. After this adjustment is made, the nuts 17 may be permitted to remain in their adjusted position, and the tensioning of the cables 8 to connect the helmet With'the suit, and their releaseto disconnect the helmet from the suit, maybe accomplished solely byoperation of the levers 14 at the front and back of the breast plate. Consequently, it will be apparent thatthe helmet maybe very quickly and easily connected with and disconnected from the suit, andthe diver thus easily and quickly supplied with and relieved of the helmet.

The twisting of the channel `member 5, yas hereinbefore described, makes possible tensioning of the cables 8in the bead 19 to secure the edge f'the neck opening in the channel member without danger of the cables slipping out of engagement therewith. l 5 `fThe members 7, in addition to serving' as a means forpositioning the cables 8 and connecting kolstanding shoulder formed by it protected, fairing pieces 22 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3), are welded to the breast plate and to the offstanding edge portion of the channel member`5, thus producing a smooth curved surface between the channel member and the breast plate.

The helmet is provided with the usual telephone 23, and with a connection 24 through which the telephone cable is introduced in the usual manner, and it is also provided with a chin valve 25 and air exhaust 26 of conventional form. The air inlet for the helmet, however, is'of novel design and arrangement.

Instead of having the air introduced at the lower back portion of the helmet, as is the usual practice, the air inlet arrangement of this invention provides that .the air be introduced through an opening 27 in the top of the helmet, this opening lying within the confines of an offstanding substantially U-shaped sheath 28 stream-lined from front to rear and welded to the helmet around its edges and provided with means 29 for connection with the customary air hose. Within the sheath V28 is arranged an air inlet or lining memberr30 formed of resilient or pliable sound-deadening material, preferably rubber, of substantially the same shape as the space defined by the sheath 28 and the adjacent portions of the helmet 1, but terminating short of the opening 27. This air inlet member 30 is provided with opposed baffles 32v and 33 and with an opening 34 which Alatter registers with the air connection 29. 'The forward end of the air inlet member 30 is open, as-indicated at 35, so that the air passing` through it may escape into the helmet through the opening 27. VAsthe air under pressure enters'the inlet member 30, the force of its current will beV broken up by the baffles 33 .and 32 and -the hissing noise commonly present in ordinary air admissionv tubes thus relieved. The'relieving of this hissingr noise is further accomplished by the sound-deadening properties of the material, preferably rubber, of which the air inlet member is constructed.

As will be apparent, particularly from an inspection of Figs. 5 and 6, the air inlet member 30 is flared laterally from bottom to top so that, although it also tapers vertically in this direction to conform to 'the stream-line of the sheath 28,

it is throughout its interior of substantiallyV the same cross sectional area and thus offers no appreciable obstruction tothe free passage of the air through it.

Heretofore diving helmets, so far as is known,

have been provided with sight openings or windows of rather small area due to the fact that they must be so constructed as to be easily opened and closed thus providing a means whereby the n the ease with which the helmet of this invention may be disconnected from the suit by means of the cable connecting device-,it is possible to provide permanently sealed or uid tight sight openings of much larger area than has heretofore been practicable. In accordance with this invention the helmet is supplied with two windows or sight openings, one of which, 86, extends fully from side to side across the front portion of the helmet and the other oi which, 37, is arranged at the upper front portion of. the helmet in conventional position. Each of these sight openings is provided with a glass 38 so shaped, and molded to such curvature, as to lit the opening and the curvature or the helmet. Each of the glasses k3S is mounted fluid-tight by means of a preferably U -shaped gasket 39 (see Fig. 3) extending around its periphery between a bearing plate 40 welded to the helmetaround its respective sight opening and a clamping rim 4l recessed to receive the glass Vand gasket and connected with the plate 40 by screws 42. As shown, the screws 42 pass completely through the plate de, the thread of the screws being made so ne as to prevent entrance of Water or escape or" air. However, the plate 40 may be of such thickness that the tapped holes for reception of the screws i2 need not extend completely therethrough, thus sealing the connection.

The sight openings may be provided with the usual spaced protecting bars, or they may be protected by heavy wire mesh e3, as shown, welded to the rims 41.

Due to the curved or arched formation of the glasses 38, they are of suflicient strength to withstand surrounding water pressure, particularly when it is considered that they are simultaneously supported from within by air pressure within the helmet.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the invention provides a diving helmet having novel features which not only make it easier to apply to and disconnect from the suit than helmets of conventional type, but which embodies structural features tending to increase the comfort and Y security of the diver, particularly when submerged. y

Various changes and modifications are considered to be Within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A diving helmet having means for connecting it with the border of the neck opening of a diving suit, said means comprising a breast plate having a peripheral portionadapted to receive the border of said neck opening, a flexible element arranged for engagement withsaid border and disposed in alignment with said peripheral portion, and means for tensioning said element upon said border to thereby produce a huid-tight joint between said border and said breast plate.

2. A diving helmet having means for connecting it with the border of the neck opening of a I diving suit, said means comprising a breast plate having a channel member adapted to receive the border of said neck opening, a flexible element arranged for engagement with said border and disposed in alignment with said channel member, and means for tensioning said element upon said border to thereby produce a fluid tight joint between said border and said channel member.

3. A diving helmet comprising a helmet proper and a breast plate, and means for connecting said helmet with the border of the neck opening of a diving suit, said means comprising a channel opposite member carried bythe breast plate and adapted to receive the border of said neck opening, a flexible cable arrangedfor vengagement with said border in alignment with said channel member, and means for tensioning said cable to exert pressure upon said border and press same against said channel member to produce a fluid-tight joint between the helmet and suit.

4. A diving helmet, having a breast plate,V and means for connecting said helmet to the border ci the neck opening of a diving suit, said means including a channel member disposed adjacent to the edge of said breast plate and permanently attached thereto, a pair of similar flexible cables carried by said helmet and disposed for cooperative alignment with said channel member, said cables and channel member adapted to receive between them the border of said neck opening, and means for joining the ends of the respective cables and for tensioning same to apply pressure to said border and thereby provide a iluid tight joint between same and said channel member.

5. In a diving helmet," means carried thereby for connecting same fluid-tight to the border of the neck opening of a diving suit, said means including a breast plate having a channel member extending continuously around the periphery thereof and cables cooperating with said channel member and between which and said channel member said border is gripped, and means for tensioning and releasing said cables comprising means for joining the respective cable ends and including a linkage and a lever for operating same.

6. In a diving helmet having a breast plate the edge of which is of non-circular contour, means for connecting said helmet fluid-tight to the border of the neck opening of a diving suit, said means including a channel member carried by and following the edge contour of said breast plate and adapted to receive said border, and a cable arranged to secure said border with relation to said channel member, said cable provided with means whereby it may be tightened and released, the arrangement of said channel member relatively to said breast plate being such as to so present its channel that when said cable is tightened pressure will be applied to said border throughout its extent regardless of the noncircular contour of said channel member.

7. In apparatus of the type stated, a helmet, a breast plate secured thereto, a channel member secured to the periphery of said breast plate, said channel member being twisted to open upwardly at the shoulder portions of said breast plate and to open downwardly at the front and rear thereof, and iiexible means adapted to be thereto the border edge of the neck opening of a 'divers suit.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 7, wherein said iiexible means comprises a pair of cables having their intermediate portions pivotally connected to said breast plate adjacent the shoulder portions thereof, and cooperating means on the adjacent ends of said cables at the front and rear of said breast plate for tensioning said cables.

9. The invention as set forth in claim 7,wherein saidr flexible means comprise a pair of cables alined with said channel member and extending from front to rear of said breast plate around sides thereof, cooperating tension means on adjacent ends of said cables at the 'tightened into said channel member to clamp v front and rear of said breast plate, and carrier members secured to the intermediate portions of the respective cables and pivotally supported on said breast plate.

10. The invention as set forth in claim 7, wherein said flexible means comprise a pair oi cables alined with said channel member and extending from front to rear of said breast plate around opposite sides thereof, cooperating tenmet, the top of the helmet having an opening therethrough adjacent the forward end of said sheath, means for attaching an air hose to said sheath, and means within said sheath formed of sound-deadening material provided with baiiles whereby the course of the current of inflovving air is diverted, the bailes and the nature of the material of which the member is formed serving to decrease the velocity of the inilowing current of air and minimize noise.

l2. A diving helmet having an air inlet opening in the Wall thereof, means forming an inlet.

chamber for supplying air to said opening, an air inlet connection for introducing air into said chamber, and an air inlet member Within said chamber and forming a passage of progressively increasing cross-section betweenfsaid inlet connection and said inlet opening, said member being iormed of rubber and including opposed baiiles extending into said passage.V Y

WILLIAM SCRIMGEOUR. 

